Protect Yourself from Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing: Scammers
Did you see the recent headline of three men posing as pastors to scam about 1,200 unsuspecting, gullible Christians out of more than $20,000,000 in three states with an investment scheme called “1st Million”? How about the California pastor who swindled his very own congregants out of a million dollars in a Ponzi scheme? Or […]
Money-Saving Tips for the COVID-19 Pandemic from your Crown Staff
The Crown team makes it a priority to “practice what we preach”. During this pandemic, as we recommend to cut back your living expenses by 25% for the next 90 days, we’ve made a list for you of the ways we’re doing that ourselves. There are some natural savings that happen when you follow social […]
Ask Chuck: What Should I Do With My Christmas Bonus?
Dear Chuck, I expect a decent year-end bonus and am trying to decide how best to use it. I want to grow our investment portfolio while my wife thinks we should pay off all debt. What would you recommend? Blessed with a Bonus Dear Blessed with a Bonus, Congratulations! This is a nice problem […]
Ask Chuck: Financing Fixer Upper Fever
Dear Chuck, I need your advice. My husband thinks we should get an installment loan to update our home. Although we can do a lot of the labor ourselves, we need materials, tools, and some professional labor to get what we both want. I would rather save for a year, but he has time in […]
Ask Chuck: Breaking the Cycle of Overspending
Dear Chuck, My husband is tired of my overspending. I struggle living on the budget he’s made because I make quick purchases rather than planning ahead. Then I feel guilty defending my decisions when the bills arrive. How can I get out of this cycle? Spontaneous Spender Dear Spontaneous, Frist, be thankful you have […]
Ask Chuck: Stewardship Through The Generations
Dear Chuck, I’m concerned about young couples I know who rely heavily upon credit cards. They appear to have no concern for the future. I don’t sense a desire to be good stewards in their approach to finances. Concerned Boomer Dear Concerned Boomer, It is not only a perceived concern but a real one […]
Ask Chuck: Get Rich Quick
Dear Chuck, We have a lot of debt. Rather than taking on another job or trying to excel at his current one, my husband is seeking money in undesirable places. He buys weekly lottery tickets, shops garage sales and thrift stores looking for “treasure.” Meanwhile, I’m teaching piano lessons in our home while trying to […]
Ask Chuck: Is Amazon Prime Worth It?
Dear Chuck, My friends rave about their Amazon Prime membership. I’m not convinced. Do you have an opinion? Not Ready for Prime Dear Not Ready, Thanks for your question. It is one I had not carefully analyzed, so this may be helpful for members and non-members alike. My wife, Ann, and I have […]
Ask Chuck: Is Low Price Better Than High Quality?
Dear Chuck, I like nice, quality things. My husband prefers lower prices. My perspective is that buying quality is better in the long run. Is there a right or wrong way to look at it? We are stuck on which refrigerator to buy to replace the old one we have now. Needing A Compromise […]
Ask Chuck: What To Do If You’re House Poor
Dear Chuck, I see that mortgage rates are dropping. Several years ago, my husband and I bought more house than we really need. Is this the time to sell so we can purchase something more affordable? Our current home eats up 40% of our budget preventing us from saving and giving at a level we […]